Safety at the farmer’s market

Thinking of visiting your local farmer’s market? Keep safety in mind.

“Pay attention to the vendors’ food safety practices as you shop,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture says. “Check the stand’s overall cleanliness, including gloves and clean utensils for food handling, covered garbage cans, coolers for perishables and clean bags.”

Other tips:

• Look closely at any fruits or vegetables you’re thinking about buying. “Large bruises or cuts and insect holes can potentially store bacteria that hide and spread rapidly to the inner parts of the produce,” the USDA warns.
• Plan to shop for a while? Bring an insulated bag or cooler to help keep foods at their proper temperature. Cold items need to be stored at 40° F and hot items at 140° F.
• Only buy pasteurized milk-based products. If an item is labeled “For animal use only,” it’s not pasteurized. This goes for juices and honey, too. In some states, it’s illegal to sell raw milk, which has been linked to outbreaks of foodborne illness.
• If you carry the items you bought in reusable tote bags, clean them when you get home and after you put away your purchases. The USDA says to “frequently wash fabric grocery totes either in the washing machine or by hand with hot, soapy water and dry them in a hot dryer.”
• Wash any produce you purchase under running water before eating it – even fruit that you peel. Then, dry it with a clean cloth to help eliminate any bacteria.